Protect your business - Fast & Affordable.

Cemetery Insurance Pennsylvania

Cemetery Insurance Pennsylvania. It may not seem like a place that is as somber as a cemetery would be at risk of legal issues, but the truth is, they are. There are several unique challenges and risks that the owner of a cemetery can face, and these challenges and risks have the potential to cause serious financial and professional harm.

As a PA cemetery owner, your top priority is to make the people you work with feel comforted during their darkest hours and as they visit your property to pay respects to their loved ones. However, a single injury on your site or an incident that involves providing poor service can do serious damage to your reputation and your business. Furthermore, your property is susceptible to things like vandalism, fires, floods, and even theft - just like any other business.

Cemeteries are the final resting places for deceased persons. Operations may be limited to providing land for in-ground burials, digging the gravesites, covering the graves after the coffins have been lowered, and providing ongoing maintenance to grave markers and landscaping. Some offer crypts, vaults, or mausoleums for above-ground burials or niches for cremated remains. The cemetery may offer "green" burials where the deceased is interred without a coffin or a forested area where cremated remains may be scattered. Some have memorial chapels where funeral services may be conducted. A few offer their facilities to the community for such events as classes, seminars, and weddings.

Cemeteries may be related to or associated with funeral homes or mortuaries and provide all related body preparation services prior to interment or cremation, sell coffins, flowers, assorted memorial items, and monuments or headstones, including engraving or decorating. Cemeteries may provide or have access to crematory services. Some cemeteries offer similar services for deceased animals, such as pet dogs or cats.

In order to safeguard yourself and your business from the potential travesties that can arise, having the right cemetery insurance Pennsylvania coverage is vital. From property to liability coverage, find out what type of insurance protection you need.

Cemetery insurance Pennsylvania protects your business from lawsuits with rates as low as $57/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.

Commercial Property Insurance For Cemeteries

Though your business is quite unique, the property faces many of the same risks that other types of business properties face. Risks include damage as a result of weather-related events, fires, vandalism, and more. Should a gravestone in your cemetery be vandalized or a strong wind knock down a fence, you are responsible for paying for the repairs.

Repairs to your business' property can be exhaustively expensive. That's why it's important to have commercial property insurance coverage. This policy will cover the cost of repairing or replacing anything on your property that has been damaged as a result of weather-related events, fires, vandalism, and more. It can help you avoid having to spend a tremendous amount of money out of your own pocket. And since the property of a cemetery is constantly exposed to various threats, paying to repair or replace damages can cause serious financial distress.

Liability Insurance For Cemeteries

As a PA cemetery owner, you are legally liable for anything that happens on your property. However, even if you have property insurance, it won't cover situations that are related to liability claims. For instance, slips and falls, damage to other people's property, and failure to deliver a service that you promised are things that your property insurance will not cover. That's why it's important for you to also invest in liability insurance. There are two types of liability policies cemetery owners should carry. Some of the most important include:

Commercial General Liability Insurance. This policy will protect you from any personal injury or property damage claims. For instance, if someone slips and falls while visiting your cemetery and sustains an injury or a piece of equipment damages someone's vehicle, you would be held legally responsible and would have to cover the cost of any damages. A commercial generally liability insurance policy will help you avoid having to pay for those damages out of your own pocket.

Professional Liability Insurance. Also known as errors and omissions insurance, this type of policy can help you cover cost associated with lawsuits that may be filed against you if you make a professional mistake or an oversight, or if you fail to deliver a service that you promised. For example, if you failed to have a cemetery plot prepared before the time that a burial was arranged, you could be sued. Your E&O insurance could cover the cost of the lawsuit.

Other Types of Insurance Coverage For Cemeteries

Some other types of cemetery insurance Pennsylvania coverage cemeteries should consider investing in include:

Workers Compensation. If one of your employees sustains a work-related injury or illness, this type of insurance policy will cover medical costs of the injury and more.

Business Auto. If you use vehicles for any type of transportation, such as hearses and limousines, business auto insurance is highly recommended.

Business Interruption. If you are forced to close down temporarily, you could lose a substantial amount of business and money. A business interruption insurance policy will cover losses if your business is interrupted for some reason.

PA Cemeteries' Risks & Exposures

Property exposure due to fire is usually low because there are few buildings and a limited number of ignition sources. Most cemeteries will have maintenance buildings to keep equipment and supplies necessary to excavate burial sites. Many have office buildings to transact business with customers. Some have above-ground open air or closed mausoleums. Larger cemeteries may have chapels where services may be performed. Buildings should be maintained with updated wiring and good housekeeping. Adequate security is required to prevent vandalism.

An on-premises crematory increases the exposure to fire loss due to the extremely high temperatures required to cremate a body. There must be adequate clearances as the flue exits the chimney and a shut-off valve in place to prevent overheating. Fuels used for crematory ovens include liquid petroleum, natural gas, or home heating oil. These must be stored in approved containers.

Premises liability exposures are high due to the number of visitors to the premises. At a burial, visitors may be under considerable stress, grieving, and unaware of their surroundings. Elderly and/or disabled individuals may attend. There should be sufficient personnel to direct, assist and be able to handle emergencies.

Grass and weeds must be properly cut and trimmed and stones, monuments, and markers must be clearly visible. Parking lots and sidewalks must be in good condition and kept free of ice and snow. If “green” burials are offered, the land must be maintained to prevent excess settling that could lead to a trip or fall hazard. Additional security may be required for high-profile burials. Cemeteries can pose an attractive nuisance hazard. There should be adequate security after hours to deter trespassers.

Environmental impairment exposures are from insecticides and pesticides used for maintaining the grounds, the decomposition of remains, and leaching of metals from burial containers and their fastenings due to corrosion. Bacteria or toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, formaldehyde, lead, or zinc, may seep into the soil or groundwater.

Professional liability or errors and omissions exposures is moderate as improper handling of a body can result in claims of emotional distress by family members. There should be excellent documentation regarding the identification of the deceased and accurate records maintained of occupied gravesites. Should cremation or other services be outsourced, the cemetery should be sure there is adequate liability coverage in place from the outsource vendor.

Crime exposure is due to employee dishonesty. Background checks should be performed on employees handling money. Billing, ordering, and disbursements must be kept as separate duties. Customers often pay in advance for the purchase of the plots, mausoleum space, and perpetual care. Most states now require that these funds be held in trust. An outside firm must audit these funds regularly.

Workers compensation exposure can be high due to work with machinery to dig and cover gravesites. Workers may trip and fall on the uneven ground or into open gravesites. Lawn and ground maintenance can include the application and exposure to pesticides and insecticides, resulting in contact dermatitis and injury to eyes or lungs. If there is any manual ground preparation, exposure to back injuries or hernias from lifting is very high.

Inland marine exposure comes from accounts receivable if the cemetery bills customers for services, computers, contractors’ equipment, and valuable papers and records for burial registers. Earth-moving, mowing, and landscaping equipment is used to dig and cover the graves and maintain the grounds. Contracts should be reviewed to determine who is responsible for the monuments and other statuary. If the cemetery is responsible, bailees coverage should be considered. Duplicates of burial records should be made and kept off site to prevent sites from being reused.

Automobile exposure will generally be limited to vehicles necessary to maintain the grounds and hired nonownership liability for employees running errands in their own vehicles. All drivers must have appropriate licenses and acceptable MVRs. Vehicles must be maintained and the records kept in a central location.

Crematory Insurance

Crematories also need commercial insurance in the event that someone is injured on the property, or if an error or other problem occurs during the cremation process. Families can sue crematories for a many reasons. What if remains were improperly handled? What if you do not handle a deceased person's remains according to the family's wishes? There is a big legal exposure.

PA cemeteries are their own unique businesses, and owners of these businesses can face several legal risks. That's why it's important to make sure you are properly protected with the right type of insurance coverage.

While you might have a fantastic idea for a business, if you aren't setting up shop in the right PA location, there's a good chance that you won't see the success that you hope to achieve. With that said, it's important that you have an understanding of the economic status of the state that you are thinking about doing business in. It's also important for you to know what type of rules and regulations regarding insurance are in place in that state.

If you are thinking about doing business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, keep on reading to find out some valuable information that you can use to make the best choices for your operation.

Pennsylvania's Economy Now And Into The Future

In terms of the economy, Pennsylvania's future looks pretty bright. It boasts the sixth largest economy in the United States. It is also home to some of the largest private and public organizations in the nation, as per sales.

The job market is expected to see steady growth in Pennsylvania during the 2019 calendar year. That rate is expected to be 1 percent, which is a marked increase from previous years. This is largely due to the high pool of educated laborers that reside in the state. Currently the unemployment rate is 4.9 percent, which is on-par with the rest of the nation. It is believed that the unemployment rate will continue to drop as more jobs are added.

For business owners, there are several industries that will afford success. The food products industry, particularly related to agriculture, contributes largely to the state's economy. This is expected to continue moving forward throughout the 2019 calendar year. Other industries that are forecasted to see growth include:

Education

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Mining

Printing & Publishing

If you are thinking about doing business in PA, working in one of these industries will likely afford you success.

Insurance Requirements For Businesses In Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department regulates insurance in PA. Business owners are legally required to carry workers compensation insurance. This type of coverage is a must for any business that employs any W2 part-time or full-time employees, and for employees that are either hourly or salaried. You must also carry PA commercial auto insurance if you plan on using a vehicle to conduct anything related to your business.

While commercial liability insurance is not required in Pennsylvania, it is still a wise idea to invest in. This type of coverage will protect you from the cost of any lawsuits that could potentially arise.

Additional Resources For Miscellaneous & Non-Profit Insurance

Find informative articles on small business commercial insurance for miscellaneous and non-profit 501(c)(3) businesses.

For 501(c) Non-Profits - Directors And Officers Liability Insurance has become an increasingly important policy to have. D&O coverage protects insured directors or officers against claims involving allegations of wrongful acts occurring while performing their duties as such. The insurance is divided into two separate coverages:

Side A coverage reimburses the individual directors and officers for payments made for loss each has incurred because of wrongful acts.

Side B coverage reimburses the corporation for the payments it has made on behalf of the directors or officers themselves.

General Liability is a foundational policy for almost any business. Most companies do not have any control over the final cost of injuries to a person injured because of their operations, products, or services. The person injured may be a young child, a blue-collar worker, a surgeon, or a homeless person.

The cost of the injuries may be comparatively minor or run into the millions of dollars, depending on the person and the extent of his or her injuries. Do you have sufficient assets to pay such a loss?

Commercial general liability insurance is designed to help you protect your assets with three main coverages: